Baltimore nonprofit awarded $100,000 grant to strengthen street outreach and crisis eesponse

BALTIMORE, Md. – Living Classrooms has been awarded a $100,000 support grant from the Everytown Community Safety Fund to expand Operation Respond, its street outreach and crisis response program.

About Living Classrooms in Baltimore grant

The two‑year grant will strengthen services including trauma‑informed care, mentorship, and workforce development. Operation Respond, rooted in Baltimore’s Safe Streets initiative, now reaches neighborhoods such as Belair‑Edison and McElderry Park through a mobile Crisis Response Resource Center.

Governor Moore Highlights Urgency

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore stressed the importance of sustaining community violence intervention programs. “We’ve seen firsthand how organizations like Living Classrooms save lives and help young people find safer paths forward,” Moore said. He warned that federal cuts to public safety grants hurt the frontlines of violence prevention, making local commitments even more vital.

Federal Cuts Challenge Local Efforts

The announcement comes as the Department of Justice reduces funding for community safety programs, challenging organizations to maintain lifesaving work. At the same time, cities investing in community violence intervention are seeing gun homicides decline. Baltimore is now the safest it has been in nearly 50 years, driven by Mayor Brandon M. Scott’s focus on CVI strategies.

Mayor Scott Emphasizes Living Classrooms Baltimore’s Local Impact

Scott, co‑chair of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, emphasized the importance of continued investment. “Investment in community violence intervention breaks cycles of violence and makes communities safer,” Scott said. “That’s why Everytown’s support for Living Classrooms matters so deeply as Washington retreats from CVI funding.”

Everytown’s National Commitment

Since 2019, the Everytown Community Safety Fund has invested more than $15.7 million in grants to 142 CVI organizations across 72 U.S. cities. This year, Everytown is awarding $2.67 million nationwide, including renewed support for long‑standing partners like Living Classrooms.

About Living Classrooms

Living Classrooms is a Baltimore‑based nonprofit providing education, workforce development, and community safety programs. Through Operation Respond, the organization delivers crisis response, street outreach, mentorship, and trauma‑informed care to neighborhoods impacted by gun violence.

About the Everytown Community Safety Fund

The Everytown Community Safety Fund is the largest national initiative dedicated to fueling community‑based violence intervention programs. Since 2019, the Fund has granted more than $13.6 million to 136 organizations in 69 cities. In 2025, Everytown will invest $2.67 million to support and sustain 44 CVI organizations nationwide.